"A Special Baseness": Immigration Authority employee demanded sexual favors from women in distress
Lior Tadla Salomon, a former senior official at the Population and Immigration Authority's "Ethiopian Desk," demanded sexual favors from women in his community in exchange for assistance with status and visa issues. Convicted of bribery and invasion of privacy, he has been sentenced to 12 months in prison and permanently barred from civil service.
The Civil Service Disciplinary Tribunal has sentenced Lior Tadla Salomon, an employee of the Population and Immigration Authority convicted of bribery and invasion of privacy, to immediate dismissal and a permanent ban from the civil service. Additionally, his severance pay, totaling approximately 49,000 shekels, was revoked, though half of this amount will be transferred to his wife, who was not involved in his misconduct.
Salomon, born in 1972, had been in the civil service since 2000, holding a senior position at the Authority's "Ethiopian Desk." His duties included verifying the eligibility of immigrants from Ethiopia and processing entry visa applications, serving as a professional authority for the Northern District offices.
According to the verdict, between 2015 and 2016, Salomon exploited the vulnerability of women who approached him for help. He specifically targeted women from the Ethiopian community—many of whom were divorced, in difficult economic situations, or raising children alone without family support—demanding sexual favors in exchange for his assistance. In several instances, he handled applications while in a conflict of interest and in violation of standard procedures.
In criminal proceedings, Salomon was convicted of three counts of bribery and one count of invasion of privacy. In August 2025, the Supreme Court granted the state's appeal, increasing his sentence to 12 months of actual imprisonment.
The Disciplinary Tribunal described the case as one of the most severe it had ever reviewed, noting that Salomon's actions were "tainted with a special baseness." The tribunal emphasized that the damage caused extended beyond the bribery itself, severely undermining public trust in the civil service. The court also noted that Salomon failed to take responsibility for his actions throughout the process.
Regarding the severance pay, the tribunal upheld the state's request to deny the entire public portion of the funds, but exercised a legal provision to transfer half of the denied amount (approximately 24,500 shekels) to his wife, who is unemployed due to medical reasons. Salomon has been suspended since June 2016. No response was provided on his behalf.
